BACKGROUNDTo investigate the changes of circulating dendritic cell (DC) and lymphocytes subsets in chronic hepatitis B patients treated with lamivudine.

METHODSSixteen chronic hepatitis B patients treated with lamivudine were included and followed up for 48 weeks in this study. Before and during lamivudine treatment, DC collected from peripheral blood sample was cultured in vitro and surface markers of DC and lymphocytes subsets were detected by flow cytometry simultaneously.

RESULTSOf the 16 patients, 11 were consistently HBV DNA negative in serum and HBV DNA YMDD variants appeared in 5 cases. In the consistent responder group, HLA-DR level of DC decreased transiently in 12 weeks and recovered in 48 weeks (P<0.05). At 48 weeks CD80, CD40 and CD1a were improved compared with baseline level (P<0.05). In the YMDD variant group, CD83 and HLA-DR level of DC decreased at 12 weeks treatment (P<0.05) and HLA-DR was still lower compared with baseline (P<0.05). In the consistent responder group, no significant changes occurred in lymphocyte subsets number at 12 weeks treatment, but CD4 + T cell was improved and NK cell dropped at 48 weeks compared with baseline level (P<0.05). In the YMDD variant group lymphocyte subsets had no statistically significant change.

CONCLUSIONIn the consistent responder group, the expression of surface costimulatory molecules of DC, such as CD80 and CD40,was partly recovered after the virus of hepatitis B had been inhibited efficiently, HLA-DR levels of DC decreased transiently at 12 weeks and recovered in 48 weeks and CD4+ T cell improved and NK cell dropped at 48 weeks. In the YMDD variant group, HLA-DR levels of DC were lower consistently during treatment compared with baseline level.